Thread: Tightening Pin on Ivory Scaled Razor

Yes it does swell a little. Pixel always said light mineral oil only and once a year do all your ivory. He was also known as Ivory Bill so I'm good with following his word.

I don't have the materials or experience to re-pin. The dome is well above the scale so I'm going to go with some balistol and tighten once they hydrate a bit.

Originally Posted by Matt1222

I don't have the materials or experience to re-pin. The dome is well above the scale so I'm going to go with some balistol and tighten once they hydrate a bit.

You might wait til after the mineral oil.
As the razor was originally pinned the pin was swollen into the pinholes in the scales.
as the scales may have dried and shrunk, the pins swollen girth has become super-tight against the ivory.

Some of these old razors have been re-tightened as they were younger.
Some have pins bent in the middle! Brass/silver is very hard/annealed.

risky bidness!

I hesitate to tap on them anymore if things are old. Just me.

Ballistol? Oh well!

Isn't ballistol just mineral oil?

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Here is a question. Previous comments aside, I know petroleum based stuff will soak into ivory and is in there hard. Discolors the ivory. Can you do too much mineral oil?
Also, do you think as the ivory is rehydrated with mineral oil, does it swell any?

I have this strange ivory issue.

It didn't swell any, but all I did was wipe a coat on, and let sit till the next evening. Wiped off excess with a paper towel. Takes the brittleness out, but not rubbery.. You can still break or crack it, but its a little tougher, than dry n brittle.

Believe it was Rez, that told me about it.
Works for bone, too. I guess.

As a matter of fact, I used baby oil.
Moistened a bit of paper towel, wiped it on.

Originally Posted by Matt1222

Isn't ballistol just mineral oil?

I dunno? Somebody check? I get mineral oil from the drug store...

Dipping them in a bit of warm/hot water can open up the pores ... wipe them with a paper toul and let them sit in mineral oil for a few hours i'm sure that will get the oil in...but balistol ...i dont think that gets in the ivory...at least i did not notice any penetration on my iwory scale razors over the years i have used Balistol.

I checked my can of Balistol and found no ingredient. But it does say Fatal if swallowed. I'd think swallowing mineral oil wouldn't kill you. But what do I know.

It's mainly mineral and vegetable oil.